Duplicity
by anamariewrites
Summary: DISCONTINUED.
1. Prologue

**Word Count**: 1,950

**A/N: **Thank you very much for coming to read my first chapter story, I really excited about it and hope that you enjoy this as I've tried my best to write at a level that can be appreciated by all of you.

I hope that throughout the course of this story that you'll get an insight to Kakashi (and ninja in general) that you have never read about or even thought about before. I hope that I can make all of you _think _and relate and take something away from this. Writing is my passion and I hope that you'll enjoy what I'm sharing with you. Thank you again.

**(Edit: 3/31/08- Chapter partially rewritten.)**

**(Disclaimer: **Any identifiable character belongs to Kishimoto and no infringement is intended and nothing monetary is being gained by the writing of this fanfiction. Any character that is not recognizeable and that is not disclaimed in any of my author's notes was created by me, BeautifulSilverSilence.

* * *

Hatake Kakashi is not by any means a normal shinobi.

Kakashi realizes this as he wakes up in his bachelor's apartment -- lonely and wanting -- the rare time he's not assigned another high rank mission. He knows this as he slowly rolls himself out of the bed (built for one) and places his feet in the carpeted floor, sharpened (and almost animalistic) instincts immediately roving the room. And Kakashi understands it as he stands up gingerly, stretching his arms above his head, popping every joint out of habit.

It's in the back of his mind as he shuffles his way into the adjoining bathroom, stuffing his feet into a pair of old dog-bitten slippers along the way, shivering slightly as body (clad only in an old t-shirt and boxers) adjusts to the cool air in the apartment. Kakashi sighly quietly as he takes his toothbrush from the cup by the side of the sink, squeezing a spot of toothpaste onto it and glancing at the large mirror built into the wall above the faucet.

Kakashi looks for a moment longer than he thinks he should have before turning his back to the mirror, pulling down his mask and begining to brush.

(Days like these hold no room for memories.)

Everything from this point on is thankfully automatic: Kakashi showers, dresses, forgets to eat, and pointedly ignores Gai on his way out the door.

Walking outside he can feel the stares of awed children and shinobi alike (can taste the tangible excitment in the muggy air), and barely notices the glares of indignant mothers as he buries his nose in the First Edition Icha Icha Paradise book (that he's never actually read).

(_Perverts garner no pity.)_

Though not inherently paying attention to his surroundings (and looking for all the world bored to death), Kakashi weaves through the crowd effortlessly--ducking projectiles and side-stepping happy little children--and finds himself standing in his usual spot in front of the Memorial stone.

Slipping his book into his worn belt pouch, Kakashi kneels and begins to talk.

Kakashi tells Obito about Gai's latest challenge, chuckling softly at some bits, and scowling playfully underneath his mask as he begrudgingly tells Obito the current score (50 to 49 -- Kakashi's still losing, but he refuses to accept that painting pictures of Konoha with your toes is an actual challenge).

Kakashi tells Obito about what Yuura and Yuki did in the latest chapter of Icha Icha Violence (which he has read several times over), tapping the hitai-ate over his Sharingan eye when it begins to itch. Obito was such a damn pervert!

Kakashi tells Obito about a prank Naruto pulled (that reminded him of Obito in every way), and about Sasuke's defection. Kakashi tries his hand at making a half-assed apology for being late (Obito was always better at that than he was). It wasn't like it was his fault anyway, on the way there he was attacked by enemy ninja who wanted his special edition Icha Icha Paradise book, and _then _after he defeated them he had to help a poor old lady retrieve her cat from the top Hokage monument, so really...it was out of his hands.

Obito forgives him (like he always did).

Kakashi shifts his gaze to stare at another name on the stone (knees aching and ankles tingling from lack of blood). He talks to Yondaime and tells him how _strong_ Naruto is becoming, and how Jiraiya-sama is training him (the two were _so _much alike), and how just determined he is to become Hokage. Tells him how he was wrong, that _no_, his mask would not eventually permanently attach itself to his face if he wore it often enough (but he _did take_ it off when Minato asked him again, lips blue and blood dribbling down his chin).

Kakashi tells Yondaime -- "_Sensei_." -- how he _really_ feels in hushed whispers and meaningful glances.

He knows Sensei understands.

(Afterwards, Kakashi has an urge for miso ramen.)

When Kakashi finally leaves (hours after he first arrived), he is far too early for his important meeting with the Hokage and quite possibly a new mission. (He'd just come back from his fourth S-class mission in as many weeks.) Fortunately, they haven't really been that difficult lately and he's completed them all easily, Kakashi thinks that it's his imagination that there's more blood than usual after he's finished with his targets.

It's worth a good laugh really, when he can hear the whispers of jealous shinobi who aren't quick enough to get the high class (high _paying)_ missions before Kakashi snaps them up. Hilarious actually, so much so that Kakashi is thinking that he wants to become active ANBU again, the Hound Mask tacked onto the ceiling above his bed eerie and beckoning.

But, true to Kakashi's nature, instead of heading to Tsunade-sama's office like he should have, he finds himself heading over to the academy, and he bumps into Genma along the way. Genma looks at him oddly, smirking in that infuriating all-knowing way of his. And, to Genma's credit, it works for a few seconds. (What exactly _does_ Genma know?)

But duplicity has always been _his_ strong point, so he waves -- "Yo, Genma" -- and continues on his way.

Genma looks at him dubiously and waves back.

"What's up, Kakashi-_kun._"

One Thousand Years of Pain had never sounded like a better idea to Kakashi.

Genma (possibly knowing how Kakashi felt more than Kakashi _himself_ did) says nothing else, only chuckles and tosses his senbon up in the air, flipping it twice before catching it between his teeth.

Kakashi next walks by the academy, intending on "visiting" Iruka-sensei and --maybe, sort of, not really--embarrass him in front of his students (the ankle-biters). He walks into the school grounds, stopping by the lonely swing that creaks softly -- eerily -- in the soft breeze.

No longer having to hold a false pretense, Kakashi puts his book down.

On a whim, Kakashi gently nudges his hitai-ate upwards, just enough so the blood-red windmill would be visible, revealing a patch of skin that should have been pale white. (Kakashi had been killing with his Sharigan lately, and Obito does not approve.)

Yet, even without the Sharingan, Kakashi can still _see_.

Kakashi can see himself graduating at the tender young age of five, unmasked and small, smiling and _happy _in every sense of the word. Kakashi can see his first kill that very same year. It was bloody and messy, Kakashi had hit a main artery in the rock nin's thigh (because that was as high as he could reach) and he had bled out. Kakashi cleaned his tanto throughly afterwards, and his father had been proud.

Kakashi became a chuunin the very next year. He was older, slightly wiser, and slightly taller--by now he could reach his tanto up to the hip of a full grown man-- but still small for a Chuunin, and his face visible was to the world. Life was hard, he thinks, but he was proud, his father was proud. _He_ never thought his father was a traitor.

Not until a few years later (but he still _loved _him), not until after he found his father in their living room lying on his back in a warm pool of his own blood. His prized tanto thrust into his midriff, wide open eyes already starting to sink back into his head, and on his lap a cooling mess of innards.. Kakashi's father was never a traitor until he committed seppuku.

It was then that Kakashi started wearing a mask.

Afterwards, Kakashi calmly pushes his hitai-ate back down, slouching marvelously, and forms a seal with his hands before 'popping' into Iruka-sensei's classroom.

Iruka-sensei is shocked and flustered as always (but even _he _looks like he knows more than he should), cheeks tinted pink as he glares:"Kakashi-sensei!".

The children (brats) are delighted as always, never disappointed with an appearance by the famous Copy Ninja.

Just for show, he creates a Kage Bunshin, and then 'Henges' into Iruka-sensei. The children (knee gnawers) laugh uproariously and Iruka-sensei reprimands him, though amusement can be clearly seen in his deep brown eyes.

Kakashi 'pops' away in the next instant and tries to remember a time where he was so young and happy and carefree.

(Kakashi can't.)

And so, in the next instance, Kakashi heads to the Hokage's office (a decent half an hour late), appearing with great flourish, leftover leaves from his jutsu swirling about him dramatically. Kakashi did this knowing full well that Tsunade hated it when he left dirt and debris in her office, but, for all the times she sent him on back-to-back missions, a vindictive part of him thought she deserved it (another kinder, more childish part of him just thought it was damn funny that she got so mad over it).

Ten minutes of apologies, exaggerated bows and solemn nods later, Kakashi finally gets out of the Hokage's office, eye curving into a smile as he briefly watches the look on her face as he disappears, a trail of leaves in his wake.

All fun and teasing the Hokage aside, Kakashi was a little put-out that he was roped into becoming Tsunade's temporary courier--though if he thought about it, he hadn't seen Asuma in a while, so it wouldn't _really_ hurt to stop by with his package. But that wasn't the point, it was the _principle_ of the idea. He was _the_ Copy Ninja, not some paper-pushing, errand running Chuunin.

(Kakashi was vaguely certain that Tsunade-hime failed to receive the memo.)

Begrudgingly Kakashi starts to walk back to the jounin apartment complex, nose buried in his porn, his one blue-grey eye unseeing.

When he finally gets to the complex, only a ten minute walk away from the Hokage's office (no doubt this was Sandaime's idea, he had to admit it _was _more efficient for those 3 a.m. mission summons, privacy be damned), he automatically bypasses Asuma's apartment on the first floor. Instead starting up the stairs to the fourth floor--Kurenai's apartment--where he's sure Asuma will be.

Arriving at his destination, Kakashi raps lazily on the door, settling into his trademark slouch and returning Icha Icha to his belt pouch. Kurenai answers not more a minute later, hair disheveled (it looked like she had tried to tame the wild curls with her fingers) and looking thoroughly debauched, crimson lipstick lightly smeared onto her cheek and her lips swollen red.

Kakashi gives her a smirk that couldn't be missed even underneath his mask and tells her that he had a package for Asuma from the Hokage. He waits patiently in the doorway and Kurenai goes to get him, wondering how oblivious they must be to think that they could keep _anything_ a secret from a village full of ninja and compulsive gossips.

Soon enough Asuma comes to the door --Kakashi pretends not to hear the muted scream-giggle and the inevitable slap-- a rueful yet content look on his face, a freshly lit cigarette in his mouth.

Kakashi greets him -- putting up a gloved hand and smirking in a knowing way -- and hands him the package, curious as to its contents but not tactless enough to ask.

Without any further ado, Kakashi poofs home, only a single leaf a testament to his presence.


	2. Of Quirks and Missions

**Word Count: 2,265**

**A/N:** Okay, I'm so sorry about the late update, but it was ridiculously hard to decide where I wanted my story to go. As I said before this was supposed to be a one-shot. But I've got an idea of what I want to do and I promise the next update will definitely be less than a month away. I plan to get at least three more updates done before the month is up (though this is probably just my optimism speaking), really, I'll try my best. I'm tinkering with the format, but I hope you all like it.

**(Edit: Thank you so much to Ice Dragon3 who really helped me out with this chapter)**

**Edited: 4/6/08**

* * *

Shinobi – especially jounin – were known for their strange habits, or _quirks_, if you will. Some were quite obvious and flamboyant (though Gai would never attest to this), and others were more subtle, borderline neurotic tendencies. It was a hard thing among shinobi to gauge which of them were more eccentric than their comrades, so most tendencies were overlooked unless it endangered themselves, their companions, or their village. This was why no one batted an eye when Gai paraded about Konoha backwards with his eyes blindfolded, or when Genma walked around with a sharp, pointy and potentially dangerous object in his mouth; likewise, no one thought it was all too strange that Kakashi read porn at inappropriate times (by civilian standards anyway, as far as Tsunade was concerned, he could do whatever the hell he wanted as long as he got her missions done on time) or when Aoba wore dark shades in the dead of night.

But it was also common knowledge that however bizarre they might appear on the outside, ninja were always _twice_ as messed up on the inside.

Kakashi, himself? He was the type of ninja that even Ibiki had trouble explaining, and over the many years that Ibiki had know him, he still had yet to figure the man out. When Ibiki first met Kakashi, he had met him as the ANBU Hound. Then, Ibiki was sure that Kakashi was no more than the living, breathing personification of the idealistic shinobi tool all ninja were trained to be. Kakashi was ruthlessly efficient on his missions and had a curt, professional air that only seemed to dissipate--slightly--around his closest comrades; who, at the time, were a _very_ select few.

Though it couldn't be said that Kakashi was a completely approachable person now, nearing ten years later, it seemed that his entire personality took a 180 degree turn (for the worst or for the best was something yet to be seen, Ibiki had too much experience to ever think that a façade was not part of any jounin's repertoire).

_Now, _Kakashi's chronic tardiness reached improbable proportions and he read adult literature in mixed (and generally innocent) company; eight years ago no one would have ever believed that Kakashi would ever appear as anything less than the brutally effective ninja that he had trained himself so hard to become.

Oddly enough, no one ever found out exactly _why _Kakashi left ANBU.

I

Once home Kakashi set about making a quick meal for himself before starting his packing for the mission. (He'd ignored his hunger this morning and knew that it would be best if he assuaged it now; no matter how nonexistent his appetite was at the moment.)

Walking to his refrigerator door in slipper-clad feet he mulled over exactly what to eat, tapping a forefinger on his masked chin as he bypassed the many tin-foiled dishes he kept in there--_God._ Was that turning _green_?

Kakashi blanched, making a mental note to definitely clean his refrigerator out before he left, knowing that if he accidentally ate something off and got sick from it he would _never_hear the end of it from his infuriating-–yet endearingly cute_-_–nin-dogs.

Kakashi hummed to himself, tapping his mask-covered chin with a forefinger as he settled on a plain looking cream dish tucked neatly between the beer and the day-old cabbage. He snatched it up and turned, closing the refrigerator door with a foot, and already lifting the corner of the tin foil to sniff the left-over yakitori don Ibiki had made for the impromptu jounin get together two days ago.

Despite popular belief, Ibiki was actually an _excellent _cook, something Kakashi had refused to believe until he was threatened by both Anko _and _Kurenai to, "Just _try _the freakin' thing Kakashi, you act like it's going to kill you!"

(Which, for the record was _not_something he wanted to hear from Anko, who had poisoned nearly half of the jounin population with her attempt to make dango. Even worse, he had been on a _mission_ when the stomach virus--that oddly looked like the _insipid _field rations he had eaten for breakfast--reared it's ugly little head , and, in an uncharacteristic moment of vindictiveness, hoped that Tenzo was sick like a dog and spewing from both ends--the dango-offering _bastard_.)

Kakashi did eventually eat the curry that Ibiki had prepared, he had even been surprised to find that he _liked _it, and all things considered, he was relatively pleased with himself (his hair follicles especially-– Kurenai's grip was positively _beastly)._

Kakashi smirked, the irony certainly wasn't lost on him--Big Bad Ibiki cooks like a house-wife.

But, knowing the way the man made everything he did seem terrifying, and how at the sight of him, a veteran ANBU level ninja shat his pants, any and all jokes were left to the suicidal and stupid (or, Aoba).

_Wonder if I can bribe him to make some more if I bring back that exotic seasoning he likes while on my way to Earth country._

After serving out a portion of his meal, Kakashi stuck it in the microwave, briefly wondering if he should bother summoning Pakkun; the pug absolutely loved "people food" (spoiled brat of a dog that he was) and Kakashi usually would give him his own little plate of food.

Ultimately Kakashi decided against it, he still hadn't forgiven Pakkun for shredding all of his masks last week; though, Kakashi never knew Pakkun was so sensitive. One little comment about his weight (he was a _dog, _do they even _have_ inferiority complexes?) and he got so huffy about it. Pain in the neck.

In lieu of summoning his nin-dog, Kakashi ate quickly and standing up, tugging down his mask and deftly shoving in the yakitori with a pair of ornate chopsticks. After putting the plate in the sink and making a note to wash it later, Kakashi started to pack, walking over to the small closet in the far corner of the kitchen and removing his mission pack and spare flak jacket.

Kakashi took a quick glance at the Maneki Neko clock on his kitchen counter, noting that he had about two hours left before he was supposed to meet his team at the front gate.

It would be Kakashi's first team mission in months; aside from his mandatory missions with Team 7, Kakashi had always requested solo missions, something Jiraiya had always protested, shaking his head and always saying, "You can't do everything on your own, brat."

But as a ninja who had survived nearly 22 years of service (14 of them spent as a jounin) Kakashi knew very well the dangers of taking solo missions, and the benefits of having back-up when unfavorable situations can--and will--arise (Kakashi was a devout believer in Murphy's Law).

Despite this, Kakashi had _always_performed better on solitary missions (now that his team is gone), without having to worry about the safety of his teammates and whether or not anyone else but the dying enemy nin saw something they shouldn't have.

Even though Kakashi was well-known as a master of one thousand jutsu, and despite his moniker as the Copy Ninja, Kakashi had always preferred to give to himself the knowledge that he knew a bit more than everyone believed. Though Kakashi was sure that those who knew him well enough were aware of the fact that he was the son of the White Fang (however disgraced he was at the time of his death), and a student of the Yondaime--who was taught by one of the legendary Sannin--; most would surely be surprised to find that he knew a bit more than some regulation ninja parlor tricks.

But something still struck Kakashi as a bit odd about this particular mission...

Kakashi shook his head slightly and re-continued packing away his ANBU-issue chakra pills and poison tipped senbon (a gift from Genma for not telling Raido that _he_ was the one responsible for putting itching powder in his underwear drawer).

As far as Kakashi knew (_Or as far as I was told_, Kakashi thought sardonically), this was supposed to be a routine assassination. He and his team were to infiltrate a village on the very outskirts of the Land of Earth, neutralize the target and return to Konoha. Kakashi also knew that the target possessed some sort of blood-line, but it was never studied and there were no first-hand witnesses, thus, no one really had any knowledge of what it did, or even what it consisted of. Even with the obvious caution that would have to be taken with a target possessing an unknown and potentially dangerous blood-line, there was no addendum to the mission briefing (which he had fished out of his pocket and was currently holding in his hand), nothing that even_ hinted_ at an unusually high level of danger.

Kakashi knew that he could just be over-analyzing things as he tended to do, but too many years of discipline and hardship only served to make him analyze more quickly and efficiently (_and become deadlier)_. The possibilities were either that Tsunade considered this mission too difficult for him to carry out alone (which seemed highly unlikely because that hadn't stopped her from sending him on that suicide mission a couple months back that had left him in the hospital with a concussion and not a few broken bones), or that during this mission, there was a higher chance of psychological trauma and if alone, the nin in question would be more vulnerable than a group of specially trained ninja..

Kakashi was leaning toward the latter conclusion. In which case, his squad would most likely be formed of current or recently retired ANBU (most who had been out of ANBU for more than a few years were either useless or insane). They would be ninja specifically trained to cover all aspects of combat and field medicice, they would be ninja that would compliment him and increase the chances of this mission being completed successfully. Not least important of their skills, they would be more than capable to handle severe emotional distress and trauma, and be able administer drugs and perform hypnosis among many other more _unorthodox_ methods used to stabilize a comrade.

_But if that's the case, _Kakashi mused, _why didn't the Hokage just make this an ANBU mission? I've been out of ANBU for more than a few years; why is it so important that I be included on this squad?_

Kakashi came up dry; and since there was nothing that immediately lept into the forefront of his mind, Kakashi decided that the best course of action was merely to file away the queries for later and keep his senses on high-alert until this mission was over and he was back in Konoha. If there was anything that Kakashi knew he could count on, it would always be his unfailing paranoia, something that had gotten him out of more problems than he could count; Kakashi knew that if he distrusted everything, he was bound to be right eventually.

Not more than fifteen minutes later, Kakashi was packed and ready to go, having already made his rounds about the house. His traps were reinforced, all perishable foods thrown away, the sheets of his bed turned down (something he had taken a habit towards doing when his lived with his sensei, who complained to him more than once that he always ended up passing out on the floor after his missions), and Mr. Ukki was left on the window sill of his elderly neighbor across the road (Kakashi figured that she'd never did notice an extra plant out of the hundreds that she kept).

With a cautious eye roving the room once more for anything he might have missed, Kakashi nodded in satisfaction and walked out the door for once, purposefully leaving it unlocked.

Walking out into the hallway, Kakashi deftly lept over the abused and rusted railing, forgoing the rarely used stairs in favor of landing directly on the first floor. With a cheerful wave and a smile at the bemused (and scared half-to-death) chuunin he had landed in front of (nearly taking off his nose), he was out the door--only to be stopped by a certain spandex wearing jounin whom he most definitely did _not_ have time for.

"My Eternal Rival," Gai began, voice booming loudly as he jumped pirouette into Kakashi's way, already striking his patented 'Nice Guy' pose, "I have come to challenge you to a contest of one-fingered push-ups! Push-ups to symbolize Youth and Strength–"

Kakashi sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets and he shifting the pack on his shoulder as he interrupted Gai, "Can't. Mission."

Kakashi watched, amused, as Gai turned very interesting shades of maroon; half-expecting Gai to spout something about his Hip Apathy and Disrepectfulness. Kakashi was surprised when Gai merely smiled, teeth and glossy hair glinting in the afternoon sun, and stated--"When you get back."--before standing aside to let Kakashi continue on his way.

Kakashi didn't need to turn around to know that Gai was probably still stuck in that ridiculous pose of his, but, to humor the man he saluted him with two fingers before hopping onto a roof and disappearing in the distance.

_When I get back, indeed._


	3. Of Friendships and First Meetings

**Word Count:** 2026

A/N: Yeah, this chapter is shorter than the other one but I didn't really want to go beyond where I ended. shrugs It might be laziness, or it could be chalked up to the fact that I had nothing else I wanted to write.

* * *

Ninja who fought in the Third Great Shinobi War tended to stray from using the word 'friend'. It was foolish they knew, it was like they were children again, trying to rationalize never playing a game because they last time they did, they were hurt. Never using the word 'friend' gave the ninja of that generation a sense of detachment from their emotions, the same detachment that the elders of the village deemed a characteristic of a perfect shinobi.

And perfect shinobi is what they had to be. They were supposed to feel nothing when they slit the throat of a Rock genin nine-year-old that fought for her life and for her village, they were supposed to feel nothing when they attacked a town of rogue ninja hiding with their wives and children and burned it to the ground. They were to feel nothing when they saw a comrade felled by senbon to the entire right side of their body, or when they saw a comrade decapitated by a sword attack they never saw coming. They were to feel nothing, and that was okay, because they weren't friends, and it didn't matter.

In that generation, friends were gutted with kunai and tortured to death protecting false information. In that generation, friends no more than fourteen years of age were sent on recon missions where, even if you were male or female, you slept with the enemy, and hoped to get some information back to your teammates before you were found and killed. In that generation, the only thing a ninja needed was a comrade in arms. No one is quite sure when the line between comrade and friend became blurred.

Some ninja think it was when Genma dragged Raido's half-burned body back from enemy lines, injured and exhausted himself, his arm broken in three places. Others think it was when Shikaku used his clan's forbidden jutsu in order to buy Choza and Inoichi more time, their bodies broken from a Doton jutsu (as far as he was concerned it was much too troublesome to even try and make himself believe that Inoichi and Choza weren't his best friends). Some believe it was when Kurenai took a kunai in the back for Anko, the same kunai that everyone else hoped would kill her; after all she was the only one who survived Orochimaru's experiment, and as far as everyone else was concerned, Anko was better off dead.

Ninja who fought in the Third Great Shinobi War tended to stray from using the word 'friend'. That's what made it okay for Asuma to drag Kakashi's half-dead body away from the chidori'd ninja that had nearly put a katana through Asuma's heart, it then made it okay for Asuma pull down Kakashi's mask and do everything in his power to make him _breathe_ again, if only because he hated being indebted to anyone.

If it was ever noticed, no one ever commented on how Konoha ninja were so protective towards others that people from other villages wouldn't quite label 'friend'.

Ninja who fought in the Third Great Shinobi War had no need for friends, all they needed to be perfect shinobi were comrades; although no one is quite sure when the line between comrade and family became blurred.

-

"We'll stop here." Kakashi stated, dropping down from a tree limb and landing in a enclosed clearing.

This mission, he would be giving the orders, having been appointed team captain upon arrival to the front gates. To his surprise, Tsunade had met them all there and briefed them on the mission again, this time offering up some last minute information ANBU's Intelligence had dug up about the blood-limit their target possessed.

Apparently part of it was an off-shoot of the Byakugan, descending from a group of Hyuuga that refused to become a part of Konoha back when Shodai was in the first stages of founding the village. From what was known of them now, their eyes are even more far removed than the eyes of Kurenai's clan, what without the inbreeding the Konoha-based Hyuuga used to keep their blood pure, it also seemed that they had crossed blood with the Takeda Clan, a clan known for their tactical brilliance and for their legendary blood lust. Just from hearing the name of the Takeda Clan alone, Kakashi knew that this mission was not going to be a walk in the park.

They had been traveling for about two hours at ANBU pace, so they were doing pretty well on time. "We'll rest here for fifteen minutes," Kakashi continued, "and then continue moving, after we travel for another two hours we'll rest again and then continue until it gets dark, got it?"

"Because ninjas are _supposed_ to be run into the ground." Genma remarked in a sarcastic off-handed manner, dropping to the forest floor with an undignified grunt.

"No actually," Raido began airily, leaning up against a tree across the way from Genma, "ninja are supposed to be flaky man-whores who get wasted the night before a mission. But it's alright really, most people get that confused."

"Oh yeah, very funny Rai-_chan_, that's not somethin' I wanna hear from you after _you --"_

"Just like a married couple, aren't they? Heartwarming." Asuma commented, taking a drag of his cigarette and ignoring the display, chuckling lightly when Kakashi did nothing but roll his eye.

"I suppose you could call it that." Kakashi remarked dryly, taking a seat by Asuma --who, as usual had commandeered the use of the most comfortable place there was, which, in this case was nothing more than a rather large moss-covered log in the middle of the enclosure.

Kakashi sighed, not knowing exactly what was going to happen, and not being in complete control unnerved him. Granted, his speculation on the ANBU affiliation of his teammates was spot on (with the exception of Asuma, who served a brief stint as an ANBU bodyguard before he left to become one of the 12 Guard Ninjas of Fire --which, to say, was many years ago), and he knew somewhat of the type of person they were going up against, but that was about all he had.

As wary as he was, (no matter how many times Genma told him to, "Take that stick out of your ass and stop worrying Kakashi", he paid him no mind, the day he would stop being paranoid will be the day where he's either six feet under or in too many pieces to find) Kakashi had no doubt in his mind that this was just about the best team that could have been chosen for any scenario that would arise. He had a poisons expert, a go-to man, and someone who knew a little bit of everything (and was a sturdy as an oak tree), between them and his genius, most of their missions had gone off without the slightest hitch. And it helped that he had known these men for over a decade, Asuma in particular he had known since he was around 12 (how Asuma and Obito became friends was really beyond him, but in Obito's book, you were friends from the moment you made eye contact and didn't glare at him like he was a complete loser--meaning that Kakashi wasn't very high on his list of friends most of the time).

Genma and Raido he knew from when he was first initiated into ANBU, they had dragged him from the ANBU lounge where he was passed out drunk after the ritualistic rookie initiation (read: drinking contest and hazing), actually, Raido dragged him home and put him to bed while Genma waited at the side of his bed so he could laugh his ass off as soon as Kakashi woke up.

Needless to say, Kakashi and Genma didn't exactly start off on the right foot, and, if Kakashi called correctly, the first thing he did upon seeing the said ninja, he promptly pulled down his mask and vomited all over him. Genma was so busy between being shocked and horrified beyond belief (and choking on his senbon) that he didn't even register that _Hatake Kakashi_ had just removed his mask. (Later he would furious, he had bet 50 ryo that Kakashi had some sort of ghastly facial defect... or at least a mole.) Though, to be fair, Kakashi was equally mortified (even if he didn't show it), he had gotten _drunk_. Like, having-no-control-of-your-motor-functions drunk. But it really was a crap mission he had been assigned to, so as far as Kakashi's concerned, all's well that ends (remotely) well.

...Genma was an asshole, something that Kakashi would readily admit if anyone asked him, but there was something about his laid-back yet flamboyant demeanor that had struck Kakashi as contradictory and odd, but when Kakashi found out what Genma had done for Raido, he admitted to himself that he really couldn't be that bad. Genma was everything Kakashi was not, both in the presence of friends and in battle. In battle, Genma was the type of person that warned you that he would kick your ass, kick your ass, and if you were still alive afterward, he would boast very loudly about how _badly_ he had kicked your ass. Granted, that attitude had toned down immensely over the years, but his competitive spirit was not something that could be beaten out of him.

And yet, even in the face of all that, the only thing that unnerved Kakashi about him was Genma's innate ability to just _know._ Everything. Quite frankly, it freaked Kakashi out.

_Genma really should look into being Ibiki's assistant, creepy bastards that they both are._

Kakashi sighed, eyeing Asuma's laid-back position against the log as Raido and Genma continued bickering about something else in the background. Fifteen minutes was about to be up in, five, four, three, two, one...

"Alright children, break it up." Kakashi intoned condescendingly, coming up from his sitting position and stretching. They still had a fair amount of ground to cover before they would bed down until morning.

"As you command, Cap'n." Genma drawled, not hesitating to sneak in a witty comment as he took to his feet himself.

"If I were a lesser man, I might resent that, Hatake." Raido added, grinning.

"Now now, _Namiashi-san_," Asuma started, the corners of his mouth twitching in a would-be smirk, "none of _us _are insulting your manhood, so wouldn't it be best to, as they say, let sleeping dogs lie?"

"Of course you're not," Genma retorted on Raido's behalf, purposefully ignoring the insinuation, "because Raido's _obviously_ the manliest man here --besides me, of course."

Raido sighed, shaking his head as he jumped to follow Kakashi's lead, refusing to deign and respond to Asuma _or _Genma.

"Is that so?" Asuma continued conversationally, following both Raido and Kakashi into the trees.

"'Course it is." Genma snorted, moving forward to run beside him, "the man is a _stud. _You know Kanako, right? The busty chuunin that hangs out at _The Bronze?"_

Asuma nodded.

"Yeah well, dude, I saw the both of them walk into the backroom one night and next thing I knew, she came out walking like she had a _corkscrew_ between her legs. That and the other day he kept asking me for condoms. I mean _no one_ has ever gotten her in a backroom. Maybe Rai has some kind of elaborate piercing, or a tat--"

"Genma!" Raido snapped, whipping his head around to face Genma, "I keep telling you that I had nothing to do with Kanako, I, for one don't want to end up with multiple sexually transmitted diseases and you _know _I was piss ass drunk that night, I could barely _walk_ straight."

Genma opened his mouth to say something, but Raido cut him off, "And I asked you for a condom _once_, when you were _sixteen_. Don't be a douche bag Genma, just because _you_ screw everything on two legs doesn't mean everyone else has to."

"Rai-chan...you're making me sad."

"Ugh!"

By now, Asuma had left the two and had resumed his position next to Kakashi. "Like a married couple, indeed."

Kakashi did nothing but roll his eye and move a little bit faster.

* * *

**Kiki's Excuse Corner-**

Yes, this story can pretty much be classified as a slight AU. Mostly because I don't know the background of these characters, and am going to be taking a lot of liberties with them (while still trying to stay within the bounds of IC). So really, don't take most things I write as canon. Mostly everything before the manga starts, except for Asuma's work as one of the 12 Ninja guards and Kakashi Gaiden, are made up. I have no clue who was in ANBU and who wasn't (except for Kakashi). And whether people who I'm saying are close really are is a whole 'nother matter entirely. But I happen to like stories that have the 'elite ninja' group as friends, so I decided to reflect that in my story.

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Dialogue is **blech**. I've never really been too good at dialogue, but I am trying my best. Any tips? Thought it was sub-par? Let me know.

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The **Takeda Clan** is an actual Japanese clan. In power from the 12th- 15th century. The most famous member of this clan was Takeda Shingen, who was famous of his tactical genius and innovations. And that is where I'm getting my basis for the clan as they are this story. I'm going to have a little bit more research on them and try and flesh this clan out, I think they're going to have a pretty big role in the story, I'm not sure, I only made them up today. But yeah, you can check out the Takeda clan on wikipedia.

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As for the currency that's going to be used in this story, I've used _ryo._ Mostly because I don't really consider the Naruto-verse to be that modern, even if they have electricity and t.v. and other junk like that. Besides, I like ryo.

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I noticed I got quite a few new Story Alerters. Don't be shy, tell me what you think. XD


	4. Of Breaking and Staying Sane

Word Count: 1960  
A/N: Oh no! My chapters are getting shorter, no worries though, the next chapter will be over 2,000 words again. I'm trying to make my chapters longer, it all the other stories I've written, my chapters were 1,300 words max. So I'm trying here XD.

8/25/07- Edit: Changing Yondaime's name from Arashi to Minato.

* * *

It's never an odd occurence when a fellow ninja snaps. While not wholly common, it happens just often enough for ninja prepare for and fear for the day they'll snap as well. (It's no secret that most ninja hope to die first.) 

Iruka watched as Mizuki started to break on his kitchen floor, screaming out name after name of all the little girls and little boys and pregnant women and happy men that he'd murdered in cold blood. He slammed his fists into the pale blue tiles that lined the walls of Iruka's happy kitchen, he broke Iruka's windows and ripped Suzuna-chan's refrigerator picture to shreds.

Iruka watched and didn't make a single sound.

Mizuki then took Iruka by the shoulders and shook him and shook him until wisps of chestnut hair fell from his perfect pretty pony-tail. Mizuki told him that he hated him and his damn smile and that he was a murderer _just like him_ and Iruka didn't _deserve_ to be happy. Iruka reached out to touch Mizuki's face and Mizuki nearly killed him right then and there.

Breaking and Snapping are two completely different things. While breaking is something entirely temporary and a state that every ninja needs to go through if they want to continue functioning after the atrocities they commit and witness on a daily basis, snapping is something that more than likely is permanent, a whole new level of grief and insanity that cripples even the most powerful of ninja. It throws them into an endless spiral of despair and a kind of depression that can't be washed away with alcohol and cheap sex. A type of hatred (for yourself or for others) that consumes and destroys.

(Despite popular belief, Hatake Sakumo was very much sane until the very last moments of his life, it was only as the tip of his prized tanto started to rip into the muscled skin of his abdomen that Hatake Sakumo snapped.)

When some ninja break they become completely vacant, living in the battle field and attacking enemies that don't exist, fighting to save people that are long gone. Those types of ninja are admitted to the psych ward underneath ANBU headquarters, where they're placed in a infuriatingly plain and padded white room with no furniture until they either die naturally, or commit suicide with the miscellaneous items the nurses leave in their rooms. As far back as anyone can remember, in there, no one has ever died from natural causes. Ninja are useless if they can't fight.

The most important thing a ninja ever has to learn is how to cope. A ninja can't throw a straight kunai if he's still grieving over the man that he'd just killed. A kunoichi can't seduce a man if their lover's face is the only thing they see. A genin can't ever amount to anything if they can't get over the fact that their mom and dad are dead and _never coming back_.

Some ninja cry. They kick and cry and scream and revert back to horrific memories that make them rip out their hair and scratch and scratch their pale arms until they've bled enough to atone for their sins.

Some ninja perform rituals. They pray for _he _and _she_ and _them_ and _everyone I killed_ because ninja try not to remember names, but they always remember faces.

Tatami Iwashi draws pictures on nights he can't sleep.

Sometimes he draws pictures of the places he's been to, like that dilapidated shack on the outskirts of Suna, and the abandoned medic station in the middle of the forest. Other times, he draws the places he's never been to, like that tea shop in Earth Country that his sensei had sworn was the best tea house in any country, and Rain Country's arena for the chuunin exams that he missed (and his teammates had gone to) because he had been sick.

Iwashi draws pictures of his mother's embroidered kimono and the family crest in all of it's blood red glory, and Iwashi draws pictures of home (the very same house that had fallen top of his family and crushed them after it was hit by Mama's painstakingly planted apple trees the Kyuubi had uprooted and hurled.)

And, when Iwashi can no longer keep his eyes open, he puts down his pencil and lights a candle for everyone that he once loved. He lights one for his pretty little sister and condescending older brother, he lights one for his soft mother and taciturn father. Iwashi lights one for Emiko-sensei and Miho-chan and for Reiji, and then, Iwashi lights one last one for all those who are still alive. Afterwards, Iwashi prays so hard he makes himself sick.

-

Kakashi forgets who he is sometimes, and he's sure that it should scare him, but it doesn't and so he doesn't really care because he still knows to be wary and he still knows how to fight and how to kill and how not to die. And as far as Kakashi is concerned, that's all he needs to know. (His hard learned ANBU lessons have never failed him, identity means nothing, and Kakashi's the embodiment of Death.)

It's when Kakashi forgets to be a ninja that absolutely terrifies him (though, subconsiously, he's not entirely sure why). And it's then that Kakashi breaks.

He crawls into bed and stares at the wall -- hitai-ate removed and Sharingan whirling wildly -- and tries his hardest to remember if he ever _wanted_ to be a ninja. Most times, Kakashi starts to suffocate and he removes his mask, taking large gulping breaths that only serve to remind him of Rin and her pretty eyes --and pale lips that ceased to smile-- , eyes that bulged as she struggled to breath, but couldn't. Kakashi then holds his breath until his face turns blue.

Other times, he takes his mask and burns it, watching the smoke twist in the air as he thinks of his father and grows bitter.

The worse times Kakashi summons his nin-dogs and they do what they've done ever since he started summoning them when he was old enough to kill, but too young to stay up past eight o'clock . Pakkun sits by his head, the stoic pug pressing his cold nose against his temple and whining under his breath, Bull sits by his door and growls fiercely at anyone who tries to come in, and the rest of them surround their master and try not to whimper at the waves of sadness rolling off of him.

Kakashi was nine when he woke up in the morning and was scared nearly half to death to find that the Yellow Flash was in his kitchen making breakfast; it was Minato's turn to be scared half to death when Kakashi asked him where Daddy was.

-

Kakashi sat in the uncomfortable tree and fingered his mask, reverting to the old nervous habit as he got lost in his thoughts. The journey had gone smoothly so far, and they had decided to start taking watches as they were nearing the very outskirts of Earth Country, knowing that just relying on the 'wake-up-if-a-stranger-_breathes_' sleeping habits all four jounin possessed was both stupid and suicidal.

Kakashi had taken the first watch like he always did, and took the liberties of setting up a few chakra-activated traps around the campsite, scouring a 100-foot radius around the area before he felt safe enough to perch, hidden the the crook of a large, sturdy tree for the remainder of his watch.

So far, he had seen and felt nothing, and, though he'd calculated the chances of them being attacked --37 percent-- considering the enclosed area they found themselves in and meticulously arranged traps, the tension in his shoulders did not give way. Not that he had expected it to, if there was one thing that Kakashi was known for on the battle field other than his skill and his near obsessiveness over his squad's safety (he nearly shat his pants when Yuugao had been poisoned and no one thought she would make it through the night), it was his inability to relax until the mission was completely over, and it was especially noticeable on missions like these.

As soon as dawn broke they would be heading into enemy territory and Kakashi had thought up more than one hundred possible scenarios, outcomes, variations, and all of the unknown factors that could turn this mission into the mission from hell. And honestly, Kakashi wasn't looking forward to any of them. From what he could tell from his vantange point, they were near the border of the Land of Grass. They would have to travel through Grass to reach Earth, and from there, travel through the depression in the rock ridges that guarded the already heavily maintained borders. Tsunade had provided them with Grass nin uniforms and had instructed them to remove their hitai-ate upon arrival into enemy territory.

But Kakashi knew that even with the variation to his uniform there was no way that his Sharingan and silver shock of hair wouldn't give him away, but he always had an ace up his sleeve for situations like these.Kakashi had an ace up his sleeve for every situation and every circumstance if he really stopped to think about it, though Kakashi usually tried not to think about how most of them were suicide jutsu...and how he wasn't all that adverse to using them.

"Oi, Kakashi," Genma whispered, breaking the comforting silence and jumping up onto a tree limb right next to Kakashi, "your turn is over, get some sleep."

Kakashi blinked, a little disoriented. After stretching out his senses only looking for any sign of strange chakra, he hadn't even noticed Genma movement. Kakashi wondered if he was he was losing his touch, and tried to remember why he hated Genma's smile.

"Yeah," Kakashi replied, "I'd better."

Genma looked at him and flicked his senbon, "You alright?"

Kakashi nodded once and lept to the ground.

In that moment Genma couldn't help but really think that Kakashi, slinking soft and silent in all of his pale white moonlit glory, was Death personified. Genma wondered when it was that Kakashi had changed from the too-merciful ANBU rookie into the man he was today. Raido knew, and Genma knew Raido knew. And the both of them knew that it would be the one thing Raido never told Genma. Back when Raido was eighteen, and Kakashi fourteen, Raido had been present on Kakashi's second ANBU mission, the very same mission into the Land of Waterfall that had nearly killed the both of them, and left Raido with a nearly unnatural fear of absolute darkness.

Sometimes, when Kakashi thought that no one else would notice, Genma would see his fists clenched tightly, the slight tremor running through both hands nearly unnoticeable. Other times, Genma pretends to not see how the corner of Kakashi's mouth twitches under his mask in what might have been a grimance when ever it starts to rain and Kakashi is required to use his hands.

Genma has always wondered when Kakashi would finally break, and can't help but pray that Kakashi would make it through this mission. He wonders if the Hokage was right about all of this.

And Genma knew, just like he knew everything else, that it wouldn't be too long before the answers to his questions would be revealed-- for however good, or bad they might be.

Kakashi, oblivious as always for all of his perceptiveness, stiffly leaned up against the base of the tree and shut his eyes, fingering his mask and holding his breath until his ears rung and the silence didn't suffocate him anymore.

* * *

**Kiki's Excuse Corner-**

Eek! This chapter wasn't really about Kakashi at all (sort of anyway)! Sorry about that, my imagination ran away with me and wanted Iwashi to appear in this chapter (no, Iwashi is not an OC, he's an elite Chuunin that was one of the exminers for the Chuunin exams).

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There are contradictions in this chapter. Wanna see if you can find them?

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The next chapter will be their travel into Grass Country and after that it's all about the Land of Earth, baby!

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In case anyone is wondering, the part where I talk about Rin's death, that whole scenario is taken from my one-shot about Rin's death. (Why yes, I _am_ advertising my other story.)

**Anyway, tell me what you think, I hope I haven't failed too much with this chapter. I like it and all (probably more than my last chapter) but I'm not sure it complete _fits_ if you know what I mean. Love you guys and see you next chapter!**


	5. Of Lying, Kimono, and Sakumo

**Word Count:** 2434 (longest chapter to date)

Are you happy Blackmagic34? There's more "talky talky" XD.

A/N: I'm happy with the way this chapter turned out, and even happier that I completed my goal of four chapters in a month (you guys can live with that, right?) Of course, I would like to mention that I'm starting school on the 4th, and afterwards I'm going to be going to driving school so my time will be almost non-existent. I'm going to try and get an update done before the 10th (when I start driving school) but I make no promises.

* * *

Ninja were liars. Damn good ones when it came right down to it. Everything thing they did, every mission they completed, recon and assassination alike, were founded upon three basic untruths.

1) The moment an academy student puts on a hitai-ate, that student no longer governs themselves. Trained ninja have come accept that fact and embrace that fact, they have given their village their all. Mind, body and soul.

2) Kunoichi are valuable members of the ninja core and are to be respected on the same level as their male counterparts.

3) It is an honor to die for your village.

Lies. Needling little falsifications that fortify the will and sharpen the kunai. Prevaricated bullshit that make ninja believe (even if they don't) that it's for a just and true cause that they kill for a little more than enough money for a good meal.

Hatake Kakashi can tell you what the village does to you, can tell you the nightmares he'd suffered (and still suffers) when he used to play God and mimic Death.

Yuuhi Kurenai would tell you, but whenever she thinks about _that_ mission that only she could have done, she feels sick, and wonders what she'd ever done to deserve Asuma.

Namikaze Minato would tell you, but his sense of duty and love for his village would stop him short from telling stories of the all-consuming fear and _hatehatehate_ he felt when he left his son and died for his village.

And that, among many other reasons are why civilians are known to be very wary around ninja, rarely having a relationship with ninja, and never taking anything they say at face value. (Civilians know, even if they don't understand, the price ninja have to pay.)

Even the little ones--something that those who had been around 21 years ago knew--, mini-nins were _not_ to be underestimated (especially ones who knew over 100 ways to kill you by only using their thumbs).

Ninjas, as everyone knew, followed a code of ethics and regulations known as the _Ninja Handbook,_ or, the _Ninja Handbook of Ethics and Regulations_. It's basic knowledge and is one of the many things drilled into the head of Academy Students before they're made genin.

But, what most people didn't know, was that there is a completely different code that ninja both chuunin and jounin strictly adhere to, something Aoba affectionately refers to as, _The 101 Ways Not to Get Your Ass Killed._

They are a set of oral guidelines that are passed on from generation to generation (though, there are rumors that most of the guidelines were invented by Jiraiya, which most people are inclined to believe because, "Never infiltrate a kunoichi bathhouse using a Henge", just _screamed_ "pervert Sannin"), that although at time were humorous, through experience, had saved more than a few lives.

Rules like, "Cheat and steal, lie if caught, kill all witnesses, and repeat the process until the mission is complete," and, "Your body is as much of a weapon as a katana or kunai," were crass by the eyes of many, but ninja are only as good as their survival instincts.

-

Kakashi has always been a very good ninja, and, conversely, Kakashi has always been a very good liar.

Kakashi's first undercover mission had been when he was six years old and a barely promoted chuunin. The mission had been an A-rank that he most certainly shouldn't have been assigned to, but he really was the only one who could have done it. Konoha had been involved in an under-the-radar war with Hidden Cloud for years, and their efforts were becoming exhausted, there were whispers of a war coming, and they needed to get across to the Hidden Cloud village that they were strong... and wouldn't hesitate to take them out.

So Kakashi, cute child that he was, small and unmasked, was left on the outskirts of the Cloud damiyo's estate by his sensei, who instructed him with saddened blue eyes, to complete the mission as quickly and safely as possible and to meet him back at that spot in 48 hours.

Kakashi, as naive as one could expected a six year old killer to be, completed his mission, playing the part of a lost little boy, crying when he fell, smiling brightly and obliviously when the damiyo's wife kissed his knee and picked him up, young eyes cold as his small chakra-aided fist destroyed the damiyo's jugular.

At the time, Kakashi didn't understand the look in Minato's eyes when Kakashi told him that the mission was too easy.

-

"Right," Genma stated, "so what the hell do we do _now_, genius."

"We walk through the village and finish the mission." Kakashi said blandly, brushing his newly dyed blond hair from his face. Try as he might, he never could get used to his hair hanging in his face, hence the reason he had always been thankful for his hitai-ate. But now, when he had no hitai-ate, it was nothing more than a nuisance (it took an _ungodly_ amount of time to get his hair to stay put).

"Oh, right, that's easy for _you _to say, _you_ don't have to walk through the village getting hit on by 40 year old perverts that want your-- very shapely-- and very _female_ ass!"

"At least you don't have to walk around with a man-woman on your arm," Kakashi sighed, "this is not how I pictured this. The one time I have a _lady_ on my arm addressing me as Sir, it had to be you."

Genma balked, "Well, I'm _so_ sorry that I'm not up to your wet dream standards, moron."

"As well you should," Kakashi answered matter-of-factly, tilting his head to the side to avoid the mass of poison-tipped senbon that were hurled at his head.

Honestly, Genma could have at least _tried_ to be a bit more civil, being as everything they did on this mission was for the good of the team and their country and all. Though, if Kakashi _really_ thought about it, he supposed he could feel a little bit sorry for Genma, in a better-you-than-me sort of way... Genma really did have a very shapely ass (not that he was looking, of course).

Of course, said man with the very shapely ass was in fact, _not_ a man, but a very pissed off man-woman who had lost --rather pathetically-- in a game of _nose goes_, and had to be the one in the woman's kimono and make-up. A point which only proved that Tsunade had a _very_ wicked sense of humor.

"Now, now Genma," Raido said, trying to pacify the outraged man, "it's only for a little while, you can take it off right after we get through the chakra field -- damn troublesome things that they are."

Chakra fields are not something ninja come up against often, while they were easy to set up and thusly very useful, they were extremely difficult to maintain, especially when covering a large area. And this particular field surrounded the whole village.

Logically, this was the most convenient and strategic area to place one, as this debauched town was the least guarded area of the Grass border and many an enemy nin had slipped through this village into the neighboring Rock Country.

What the chakra field did, was to alert the maker of any ninja passing through the barrier by the pattern of their chakra, which tended to be less erratic and more refined than civilian chakra. The truly useful thing was that if there was even a small spike of trained chakra inside the barrier, the maker of the chakra field would be able to sense it immediately, and be able to pinpoint it until it was completely removed from the barrier.

But for as hard as a chakra field was to maintain, it was equally as hard to detect, and they were extremely lucky to have Kakashi on their team, as he always checked for lingering chakra with his Sharingan before approaching any village. Generally it was just paranoia acting up, but times like these made even Genma bite his tongue.

As a result of this barrier though, Raido had to seal all of their chakra by manipulating pressure points with Genma's senbon (he really was the go-to man). And because of that, Genma, unfortunately, had landed in this...predicament.

"Oh, _yeah_, that's easy for you to say, you don't have to wear ridiculous female underwear," Genma winced, "that suffocate your freakin' _balls._"

In all actuality, Genma really was the only one who could have pulled off wearing a female kimono, Asuma had a beard (and more body hair than a freakin' _gorilla_), Raido's scar wasn't winning him any points, and as for Kakashi, well, no one wanted a half-blind broad on their arm.

The kimono fit him quite nicely, almost like it had been tailored for someone his size (Genma had this _really_ sneaking suspicion), it hugged curves he didn't have, and was floor length (just long enough so that Genma wouldn't have to break his ankles trying to walk in the geta that came with it). It wasn't exactly a traditional kimono, but nevertheless it was a beautiful ebony with ice-blue sweeping designs on the front, and some sort of kamon on the back.

Genma's face, although decidedly masculine with his set jaw and indelicate mouth (nothing that wouldn't be hidden by the fan he also carried), had make-up applied, a rosy blush and a hint of lip stick. His hair (the longest out the the four) was pulled back and swept into as neat of a bun as it could be tied into (Asuma had nearly asked Raido how he knew how to do it, a teasing barb at the tip of his tongue, but a sharp look from Kakashi silenced him).

"I hate you all."

"Of course you do, dear," Kakashi tittered in a mocking manner, smirking under his mask as Genma started to grind his teeth. Meanwhile, Raido was sighing exasperatedly, and Asuma was busy fixing his civilian-style suit --that matched both Kakashi's and Raido's--, and puffing quite contentedly on his newly acquired cigar. (As far as he was concerned, this whole covert operation really wasn't so bad, it might be due to the fact that he was currently inhaling euphoria. Either way, Asuma was pretty happy--all things considered.)

**"**Let's go," Kakashi stated, any joviality gone from his voice. The rest of his team nodded once, realizing the gravity of this seemingly harmless situation and fell into step behind him, Genma coming up alongside Kakashi and eyeing him with an off look. Kakashi merely raised his visible eyebrow (the other one being covered with an eye patch), and fiddled with his hair.

Unfortunately though, his hair was going to be the very least of his problems.

-

"I hope you know what you're doing, old girl." Jiraiya said, leaning up against the front Tsunade's desk with a sigh.

Tsunade blinked up at him blearily from where her head was resting on a stack of unfinished documents, "Of course I don't know what the hell I'm doing Jiji, when have I ever known what I was doing?" Tsunade continued on bitterly, "If I knew what I was doing, I would have never taken this job, never given my necklace to Naruto, and most definitely not have sent Kakashi on that mission."

Jiraiya walked around the desk and put a hand on Tsunade's shoulder, taken aback when she didn't make a move to stop him,

"You're the only one who could have done this job, Naruto is going to surpass the Fourth one day, and Kakashi _needs_ this."

Tsunade slammed her hands on the desk abruptly, whipping around to face Jiraiya, shaking his hand off her shoulder, "But what if he _doesn't_! What if we're wrong! What if _I'm _wrong! I can't do this to him...to Sakumo..." Tsunade seemed to deflate, the fire fading out of her eyes as quickly as it had arrived.

Jiraiya exhaled softly, crossing his arms as he continued, "So that's what this is about, huh?"

It had been no secret that Sakumo had been close with the Sannin, possibly even surpassing them in power, he even used to take missions with them after Orochimaru started spending more and more time in his lab. Sakumo and Jiraiya had been especially close, drinking buddies for as long as anyone would care to remember. Jiraiya had even been named Kakashi's godfather after he was born.

But even with how close Jiraiya and Sakumo were, something that was less known, was that Tsunade held a special love for him. Not romantic (though Tsunade would never disagree that Sakumo was indeed a very attractive man), but not completely platonic either.

He had been there when Nawaki was killed and had held her when Dan died. Sakumo had always been a constant in her life -- always happy, always smiling -- he had talked her out of committing suicide in a drunken stupor, and because of that she had always held a special place in her heart for him. It's not to say that she didn't think he wasn't an amazing pervert (what with him and Jiraiya giggling over Jiraiya's rough draft of some poor grade porn), or an insufferable idiot (he knocked up his girlfriend and had the nerve to come to _her_, asking her what he should do), because really, he was both of those things (and Tsunade wouldn't be Tsunade if she didn't point out his faults every now and again).

Needless to say, Tsunade was crushed when Sakumo committed suicide, had even held it against his kid because she knew that if it weren't for Kakashi, Sakumo would have never killed himself --Sakumo was too strong.

But now, when Tsunade was a lot older and a little wiser she had come to terms with Sakumo's decision, not to say she understood it, hell, she would never agree with his logic. Regardless, Tsunade had never liked being indebted to anyone (gambling being one true exception), and took it upon herself to look after Kakashi. Granted, it _had_ been a long time since she had seen the brat (he had been around eleven when she left), and he most certainly didn't need looking after now that he was 26 years of age, but Jiraiya had always noticed the fond look in her eyes when Kakashi would rub his head and laugh ruefully at the latest severe injury he'd received --looking so much like the father he hadn't really had a chance to know.

* * *

**Kiki's Excuse Corner-**

This is a short one, but does anyone know what type of casual clothing they wear in the Naruto-verse? I looked up some Japanese clothing that I was going to base it on, but I didn't find anything satisfactory. Of course, I could just chalk it all up to being AU (because I, honestly, like the thought of Asuma in a suit), but if you had any input that would be great. Thanks for reading.


	6. Of Summons and Iwagakure

**Word Count:** 2019 

A/N: Yes, it is time that I grovel. I'm so sorry for leaving this for so long (a month and a half, yikes!) but RL landed a haymaker on me and I haven't been able to get up. September was so hectic and this chapter has literally been the chapter from _hell_, you have no clue how difficult it was to write this.

So I, being the unforgivable person that I am, wrote instead, 5 ficlets and avoided this one like the plague.

But I'm _really _sorry, I _will_ get and update up in two weeks or less even if I have to lose sleep over this.

**Mur, go on to the story and ignore the unworthy authoress.**

* * *

"A ninja is nothing without their familiars," A biased statement with quite a bit of truth often spoken by an exceptionally proud summoner--or an Inuzuka.

A familiar (also known as a summons) is something ninja consider a very valuable tool, and, if one takes the time to get to know their personality quirks and idiosyncrasies, a very valuable and loyal friend.

There are varying stages of interaction between a group of summons and their summoner, ranging from strictly business to something like a more sophisticated typed of pet (something Pakkun surely would have bitten Kakashi for even implying; some summons are more touchy than others.)

The type of summon a ninja has are almost always decided by their family. Most ninja clans had something called an animal affiliation, something which can be clearly seen when using an Inuzuka as an example. These clans have a instinctual affinity or inclination to wards a certain type of animal, and as such, if any other animal was used as a summon, their telepathic link may be compromised or non-existent; as opposed to an animal you had particularly strong bond to wards.

If a ninja is not part of a clan, or comes from a background of civilians, the way to find out your animal affinity is to consume a berry from a shrub grown in chakra-enriched soil; not unlike the chakra paper used to determine a ninja's element. In that circumstance, for a period of not more than 24 hours, that ninja would take on a dominant characteristic of their animal-affinity--such as if your animal was a bird, you would receive the enhanced eyesight and the _sensation _of being a certain type of bird.

Of course, such a technique put a grand strain on chakra reserves so only ninja with immense chakra would be able to utilize it; one of the reasons why many ninja are without summons.

Morino Ibiki's summons are vultures, something that really didn't come as much of a surprise to his subordinates (and to his own immense pleasure; seriously, how kick ass was _that_?), and something that scared the shit out of his victims. Something Ibiki had always taken advantage of; for some odd reason, people seemed to talk a lot quicker when they're told that they'll have their eyes pecked out and their entrails eaten, not that Ibiki knows _why,_ of course.

Sandaime was actually the one that started Jiraiya on summoning frogs, he thought that it was the most prudent and safest choice for Jiraiya (read: "_No way in hell am I going to let Jiraiya summon man-eating snakes!"_)

And yes, irony is a bitch.

-

Signing his summoning contract is one of the most fond memories Kakashi has of his father; back when Kakashi was young and he was old, back when he still thought Sakumo was the top of the world. It's not a very long memory -- Sakumo was a very busy man, after all, he was the _White Fang_ --, but it's one of the few times that Kakashi can remember Sakumo smiling.

And what a smile it was.

Even with his face covered with his mask, Kakashi could tell (by the crinkles in the corner of his eyes) that his father was happy (and proud, _of him)_.

Sakumo went through the seals slowly (but not too slowly, after all, _his_ son was a _genius_), fixing Kakashi's chubby hands with his own battle-scarred ones, eyes twinkling with Kakashi insisted on doing it himself. Sakumo chuckled in that low laughter of his and watched (and didn't correct) Kakashi as he wrote his name in the family scroll, bright red to his dirty brown.

_Kakashi's going to be great_, he thought, and saw no reason to doubt himself. And when Kakashi looked up at him curiously, Sakumo's grin went from ear to ear (his eyes _shined)_.

Then, went Kakashi slammed his hands onto the damp, dewy grass, Sakumo nearly held his breathe as he waited for the smoke to clear; in front of him lay a runt pug, curled up in a little ball, his new-born eyes still closed.

"This is it?" Kakashi asked, and Sakumo said nothing, standing back as he watched Kakashi scoop up the pug and hold the puppy clumsily in his arms.

"My name's Kakashi," his son stated matter-of-factly, lifting the dog up to his eye-level.

Kakashi then frowned, "I can name him, can't I?"

Sakumo nodded, "Yes, you may."

"Hmm," Kakashi pondered, brow furrowing in a way that Sakumo knew as his, nose wrinkling in a way that spoke of his mother.

"Pakkun," _his _son said, "I'm going to call you, Pakkun."

"Pakkun, eh?" Sakumo questioned, _Where do kids come up with these things anyway?_

Kakashi nodded decisively, "Pakkun, and he's going to be the best nin-dog ever."

"Anything you want, son."

It was then that Sakumo thought his son (his _genius_ son) would be just fine.

-

"What the hell do you want now, brat?"

_So my dog is still mad at me, wonderful._

"Now, now Pakkun," Kakashi smiled brightly, eye curving and hand reaching up to rub at the back of his head, "I just need you to do one little thing for me."

Pakkun snorted, "Oh yeah, and what would that be?"

"I need you to scout out that abandoned medic shack for anything that smells like this," Kakashi unsnapped one of his vest pockets and pulled out a plastic bag with a square piece of fabric in it.

"Hmm," Pakkun hummed and sniffed the fabric as soon as Kakashi took it out of its bag, recoiling instantly and snuffing his nose in the dirt. "What the hell is that! It's _foul!" _Pakkun snarled up at Kakashi, rubbing at his nose with a paw, "And look what happened to my nose! My soft, delicate nose! This is all your fault Kakashi!" Pakkun growled, "I could just _bite_ you right now!"

"Pakkun, there's nothing to be upset about, it might smell a bit strong--"

"A bit strong my _ass!" _The irate pug interrupted.

Kakashi continued, "--but it's really nothing to get so riled up over, after all you _are_ doing this for the good of all Konoha, _and_ for that brand of shampoo that I don't have to buy you." Kakashi's smile was absolutely infuriating.

"You know," Asuma started, sticking his pinky finger in his ear and yawning lazily, "you're just not right. If I were one of your dogs I woulda pissed in your cereal _years_ ago."

Genma snickered, "Might be a better idea to just piss on his porn instead."

Kakashi looked positively horrified.

"...sadistic bastards," Kakashi said, then began to mutter, "you'd give Ibiki a run for his money."

Genma smirked, "Nah, the job's cushy and all, but the baggage is enough to kill a man. I _know_ you've heard about Ibiki and Anko."

"Don't be an asshole Genma, you should be happy for them," Raido started, "they're a match made in heaven, er, rather, hell--" The other three men (and one still irate dog) eyed him. "Oh what the hell?! I'm tryin' to be the good guy here, hell yes it's creepy, but as shinobi, beggars can't be choosers."

"You got that right," Asuma drawled, "we got some men here that will go after anything with two legs...and most things with four." Three pairs of eyes turned to look at Genma.

Genma glared, sticking his hands in his pocket and flicking his senbon in that way he does when he's put-out over something. "Oh yeah... screw you all."

His teammates and so-called friends shared a _look, _and Kakashi was about to open his mouth with a witty comment but he stopped as he felt an odd stinging sensation in his ankle. Kakashi slowly looked down at the ground and winced, Pakkun was currently gnawing on his ankle like it was a freakin' _chew toy._

"Pakkun? ...You realize that I need that for my mission right?" Pakkun chomped harder and Kakashi swore, -- "Sonuvabitch!" -- shaking his leg and dislodging to smug summon as he directed chakra to his ankle in order to soothe the pain and swelling.

"Kakashi? You realize that calling a dog "Sonuvabitch" isn't really an insult, right?"

Kakashi _growled._

Fortunately for his sanity (though it did absolutely nothing for his throbbing ankle), it turned out that Pakkun had followed the scent trail and found a proverbial gold mind. A Suna flak jacket was found ripped and bloodied in the corner of the dilapidated shack; and not only did where they able to scrape off bits of dried blood for testing, but even they found a damaged scroll in one of the chest pockets. Granted, it could all be planted evidence by some of the militant Suna nukenin that have been going around lately, but Kakashi highly doubted it. The flak jacket's design was obsolete, a type that had not been used since the Third Great Ninja War. (Kakashi remembered this, because as a thirteen year old jounin, he had worked together with a Sand medic nin on a recon mission, and after an ambush, that flak jacket was the only thing left of her.)

Though, if that jacket was indeed authentic, then it was a whole different story entirely as to how the square piece of fabric Tsunade had given him had been obtained. The perpetrator(s) would have had to have gone lengths in order to find an antique jacket like this, and then to go all the way to Konoha to plan evidence? It didn't seem right. So, following another train of thought, this jacket could have belonged to an actual ninja from the Great War, and chances are that they're still very much alive...or were killed in the scuffle that damaged his jacket so badly. But why would a renegade Suna ninja be in Iwa territory?

_Maybe this is a set-up. Maybe they're working together. But a Suna nin and an Iwa nin? What the hell is this?_

For once, Kakashi didn't know what to think.

-

An hour later, the team had finally arrived on the Iwa border, only to find that the area of infiltration was much more guarded than initially suspected, so much so that Genma had nearly gotten his leg taken off almost stepping on a trap that was considered too sophisticated for Iwa. Needless to say, Genma was pissed and had suggested storming in and "knocking the bastards off one by one", as much as he knew that that was impossible, if anyone knew the dangers of infiltration missions, it was Genma -- he still has the scars.

So now, infiltrating the border alone just kicked the mission ranking up a class, if they were caught, the repercussions would rival that of the White Fang's decision to turn back and save his teammates. It was common knowledge that Iwa and Konoha were at war, just no one had officially _declared_ that there was a war. Everyone knew who to blame when Leaf ninja bodies were returned home with crushed bones and shattered skulls; same as everyone knew who to blame when Iwa was infiltrated _again, _and _more_ classified information was stolen.

The only thing everyone doesn't know, is that Kakashi has taken more than 50 infiltration missions into Iwagakure, and that he was the one who took that mission and copied the Earth jutsu that was intended to burn Konoha to the ground. Not everyone might know, but Kakashi _hates _Iwagakure and the damned Tsuchikage and all the god-forsaken Iwa _ninja _more than anything. (Obito hates them too, he thinks, his Sharingan always seems to work better when he's fighting an Iwa nin.)

And really, the more Kakashi thought about it, the more this whole mission made so much more sense -- and on the other hand, there were so many more questions to be asked.

Surely Tsunade knew about the additions to the Iwa border control, and that being assumed, as reckless as she was, she would never send her shinobi into foreign territory for a frivolous cause.

_Hmm, what are you up to Tsunade?_

* * *

**Kiki's Excuse Corner-**

Quick one once again.

-If anyone noticed, I've changed the usage of Sand to Suna and Rock to Iwa. Mostly because I'm used to the subs and I find my self writing the story and think, "Rock? What happened to Iwa?" And then I just confused myself...which isn't good for when I write this when I'm sleep-deprived.

Worry not, I'll not be using fan-girl Japanese, only the names of countries, etc...


	7. Of Crazy Jounin and Combat

**Word Count:** 2019

Here we go, at least I wasn't atrociously late with this update.

And a little fun thing, the first person can tell me what song my e-mail address (and consequently my username) is from (wrappedcold at yahoo dot com) will get a **oneshot of your choice**.

Update: Thank you very much to **InARealPickle **for point out some spelling errors. Thank you dear!

* * *

It's a universally well known fact that all jounin are batshit insane; mostly because they _were_. They _had_ to be to deal with the suicide missions they were sent on, hell, you have to be insane to even pass the _test_.

And any chuunin would tell you that jounin were just plain _weird._ They wore their uniform everywhere they went (oh, how Kotetsu _bitched_ when his hot jounin date came to _The Bronze _wearing her ninja blues), and they just didn't know how to _relax_. They can never sit with their backs to a door or a window and they always have weapons and poisons and _other_ dangerous objects in the most _inopportune_ places. They're eccentric, haughty and even a _genin_ could write a better mission report than even some of the best jounin.

If you asked Iruka, he'd say he wasn't particularly fond of the whole jounin business -- much too messy for him. (At least none of them can discredit _his_ job, _someone _has to teach those pre-pubescent hellions to become cold-blooded killers.) Either way, chuunin and jounin generally don't hang out together, because most of them don't have much in common (and it's safer that way, jounin have _way_ too many enemies).

In fact, the only thing _good_ about them (as Kotetsu can once again attest to) are the absolutely _wicked_ parties they throw -- not that anyone outside of jounin can _go,_ but as a desk nin you see and hear many, many things...

Right, so it's been established that jounin are freakin' crazy, but there's always so much more than what's visible on the surface. Jounin are some of the strongest (not only physically) and bravest (but not fearless) ninja alive.

Jounin _fight_. It's what they do and how they live, there _is_ no relaxing for a jounin, there _is _no letting down their guard and being unprepared. Jounin are the front line of any village, they're the ones sent on suicide recon missions, they're the ones sent on impossible assassinations and assigned to "fuck and fight" the enemy.

They're the ones who can't_ afford_ to sleep, because somewhere, someone is after their head (and their _family_). Jounin are paranoid. They don't ever turn their backs on a vulnerability because they've_ been _there, done that, and have had someone close to them die _because_ of that.

Hell yeah, jounin have to be batshit insane, it's basically a requirement to even be accepted to take the examination. And jounin really don't connect with chuunin, because it's the jounin that are the fuckin' _murderers _(and they know it).

_But, jounin really do throw kick ass parties (Genma and Anko the most notorious) -- too bad no one ever remembers them in the morning._

-

When Kakashi became a jounin at thirteen it was the biggest event to hit Konoha in _years_; as much of an event as it could be with the war going on. The council voiced their approval (the council never approved of _anything_), and now, when people heard the name Hatake... they were proud.

Kakashi was indifferent.

The day of his promotion, the Sandaime summoned Kakashi to his office, sitting him down in front of his desk and looking the part of the wise old grandfather that he tried to be for Kakashi. To be honest, Sarutobi never thought Kakashi was ready to be a jounin (and he _wasn't, _Kakashi was a _child_), but Kakashi was damn good and everybody knew it.

And when Sarutobi looked down at Kakashi (the child) sitting impassively in the too-big chair, back ramrod straight and eyes (_too)_ cold, he let out a sigh that rumbled deep from within his chest; and inside, Sandaime mourned.

Kakashi was a hybrid, stuck between being a not-adult and too far away from being the child that he _was_, Kakashi killed with an efficiency born from experience that all jounin knew. It wouldn't be long before he would be recruited into ANBU, they had already asked after him but Sarutobi had intervened, not while _he_ was Hokage. But Sandaime wasn't the Hokage anymore, and Kakashi couldn't be protected; because Kakashi didn't _want _to be.

Sarutobi sat there and told Kakashi about life, told him about Shodaime and Nidaime and the things that break a man. He explained into the wee hours of the morning the edicts of a shinobi and explained to him how girls _worked_ (because Kakashi didn't _know. _Dammit, he was too _young_).

And then he taught Kakashi about _jounin_, about the missions, the killing, the lack of _pride_, the sacrifice, the shame, the responsibility and the _murder. _He asked Kakashi to be a child as long as he could (but it was fruitless, he knew), he asked him to humor Minato when he offered to take him out to eat ramen and to be nice to Rin because she really did _like _him like him, and it was a _woman thing _(but Kakashi wouldn't _know._)

When Sandaime (he felt so _old_) ran out of words he placed his hands on Kakashi's shoulders and looked him deep in the eyes like man that Kakashi wasn't (but he _was), _and asked him if he was ready.

Kakashi paused for a minute, taking time to formulate an answer like always he did and when he finally did answer, Sandaime felt cold (and he thinks he might have felt fear for the very first time).

Kakashi looked up at him, blue-grey eyes flat with a spark of _something_ primal and fuckin' _smirked._

Sandaime couldn't sleep for days.

-

And they were going in.

After doing a quick scan of border it was found that the best place to infiltrate Iwa was to ambush the outpost situated between two large overhanging cliffs. Once through it was all a matter of getting in and getting out alive; because of the position of the outpost it wasn't a highly frequented area, so they had enough time to get the retrieve the information and then continue with their assigned mission.

Originally Kakashi's team only had to eliminate their target, but about ten minutes after the outpost was spotted, Asuma had reached into his flak jacket and pulled out the package that Kakashi had delivered to him the morning before their mission. Apparently Asuma had strict orders not to open the package until they reached the border. Inside the package had been a cipher and a new objective for them to complete. Not only were they to complete their assassination mission, but there were now rumors of Iwa taking the war to a new level; they had bartered weaponry from Yukigakure and had formed a tentative alliance with them -- they had to destroy that alliance at all costs.

Yukigakure was a generally quiet village and because of the rumors of their advanced technology, no other country had dared infringe on their privacy. Even with Konoha being one of the five major countries, with the Yukigakure ninja being virtually impervious to ninjutsu and genjutsu _and_ with joined forces with Iwagakure; Konoha's chances of surviving a war would be slim to none.

"Raido," Kakashi started, "are the two-ways configured?"

"Way ahead of you there," Raido replied, crouching down low to the ground as he twisted and turned knobs on all four two-ways, "I've set the frequencies to a rare one used usually for the civilian hikers around this area, I've also attached a scrambler so they'll have a hell of a time hearing anything."

"Good work. We'll need to be in and out of there in an hour," Kakashi turned to face the two nin leaned up against a boulder, Genma holding his senbon tight in his teeth, and Asuma grinding his cigarette against the stone,"Report every ten minutes and take no unnecessary risks; I'm leaving no one behind."

"Got you, coach." Genma replied, grim face at odds with his joking tone.

The three men not occupied did a last minute weapons check, Genma adjusting his poisons, Asuma taking experimental swipes in the air with his trench knives, and Kakashi adjusting the hitai-ate over his Sharingan. They left their packs a couple miles off so that they'd only have to stop briefly to pick them off, then continue in the same direction to finish their mission. The team had packed lightly, taking nothing with them but their weapons and emergency stimulants and antidotes.

Raido finally stood up and handed out the two-ways, they all put them on and adjusted them with an ease born from experience and eyed each other.

"It's show time," Asuma grumbled in his baritone voice, arms flexing and fists tightening.

"We'll flank them," Kakashi stated, "Genma, you take the right, Asuma take the left. Raido, you're coming with me and we'll take point. Genma. Asuma. Once you get into position give us a signal and we'll move out."

Genma and Asuma were gone in a flash.

Moving forward so that they could see over the jutting rocks that hid them, Raido and Kakashi fell silent; at ease with the fact that they could no longer sense Genma and Asuma -- if they couldn't the enemy sure as hell couldn't either.

Hours flew by in the space of seconds and Kakashi's hands began to shake almost imperceptibly; Raido saw, but said nothing. (Kakashi was beyond grateful.)

And then they saw the signal, in scout code Genma motioned,

_Seven hostiles centralized. One Civilian. Move out._

Raido went out first, vaulting over the stone, nearly invisible with his black attire and black sword that glinted in the crescent moonlight and had the Iwa nin moving to attack.

The first nin went down without even knowing what hit him, Asuma's kunai piercing his skull with a wet thump. The second nin fared no better, having turned around at the sound of his companion falling only to come face-to-face with a barrage of poisoned senbon; he was dead in five seconds.

By that point Raido had encountered his first victim; using the speed ANBU was known for, he had his sword protruding through the thick stomach of a burly guard, using a quick burst of chakra to force it up and outward, Raido sliced through his lungs and ripped through bone with disturbing ease.

_Three down. Four to go._

As Raido rushed forward to the next nin who was forming some set of seals with a blinding speed, he noticed Kakashi out of the corner of his eye, his hand thrust clean through a sentry's chest. The the next thing he knew, Raido was dodging an avalanche of rocks, but he wasn't fast enough, a rather large boulder clipping his shoulder and throwing him to the left. He was back up before the enemy could blink and the threw a minor fire jutsu at the woman, just enough to distract her as he smoothly transitioned into a B-rank genjutsu, subtly changing the landscape and shifting everything a few inches to the right. Raido flew at her with a blinding speed, throwing a kick at her head that was blocked then spinning his body to connect his other leg with her torso.

As she fell, Raido hurled three kunai at her and she smirked as she dodged; barely moving her head so that the kunai missed her, "Is that all you have, Konoha-trash?", a look of surprise on her face as the last kunai struck her in the chest. She gurgled as she fell to the ground.

_Seven down._

And then it was over, as quick as it begun, silence blanketing the solemn area as the bodies were dumped in a heap and dissolved with one of Genma's poisons; the one civilian found was bound and gagged, hidden by a genjutsu against the side of the cliff.

"Kakashi, you're just going to leave him there?" Asuma questioned, it was an unspoken rule that civilian casualties were to be avoided at all costs.

"Yeah, the genjutsu will wear off in ninety minutes; he won't remember a thing."

Genma stood up from his task and smiled wildly at his team, "Let's do this."

* * *

**Kiki's Excuse Corner-**

**-** Firstly I'd like to give big thank you to **RhyssaFireheart **for drawing the most awesome fanart of **Genma in a kimono from chapter five.** She's an amazing artist and you all should really check out her drawing, the link is in my profile. You'll LOVE it, trust me I was floored. It was the exact Genma I had pictured in my mind... freaky.

- Yukigakure is a village introduced in the first Naruto movie and is located in the Land of Snow. They have advanced technology, more so than any other country, and their ninja wear armour that makes ninjutsu and genjutsu basically useless on them.

- This is my first time ever writing a combat scene so please tell me how you liked it. Most of the terms Kakashi and his team use are military terms that I've used at my own discretion that may or may not be entirely correct (I _did_ do some research though).


	8. Of Morals, Missions, and Jutsu

**Word Count: **2158 

**A/N: **I'm sorry about the wait, I had the worst writer's block. And from now on, I've decided I'm not going to make any more excuses. I'm just not _good _at updating regularly, there's always something that comes up or I just don't feel motivated. Kudos to anyone who manages to do it.

Next time I write a story I promise it will all be pre-written weeks before hand.

**Review Reply to narutolover:  
**Oh, I really wish you'd get an account, dear. I absolutely adore your reviews and would have replied to you much sooner. As for the answers to your questions. I always read over my chapters both silently and out loud to make sure things flow for the most part, and now I've been using the built-in spell checker for everything else I don't seem to catch. I probably should look into getting a beta though... Everything in this story comes from my imagination. If it comes to me and I like it, it's in the story. Sometimes I get ideas from other stories (if anything significant I'll put a mention in my author's note) and other times when I have a vague idea of what I want to happen, I look up military strategy and check out what jutsu has been used in the manga.

Is Kakashi going to die? Well, it wouldn't be a secret if I told you. :)

**Just a reminder to everyone, Rhyssa Fireheart drew an absolutely lovely fanart for Genma in a kimono in chapter five. The link is on my profile page, check it out and give her some feedback, it's an _amazing _picture.**

**Happy New Year (to those in England and east)!**

* * *

There are many things taught at the Ninja Academy: random things, important things, inane things, your-life-might-depend-on-this things...

And then there are other things that can't be taught, the type of skills that you're either born with, or you acquire (because sometimes hard work _can _beat genius).

One thing you most definitely don't learn at the Ninja Academy are_ morals--_as odd as that might be to say of a ninja--the type of morals that differentiate shinobi from monsters like Pein or sadists like Orochimaru. The type of morals that dictate just what lines you can and cannot cross as you strive to protect the only thing you hold dear.

The White Fang's morals caused him to value the lives of his friends over any monetary gain. The Yellow Flash's morals caused him to not only give of himself, but of someone else, in the hopes that humanity can overcome disaster (in the hope that war really doesn't destroy love). Obito's morals caused him to save the boy that never acknowledged him as "friend", caused him to give his life--and his _eye_-- to the son of traitor.

ANBU don't have morals; they were never taught to. The only thing that exists for an ANBU is the mission, and the mission alone. If the mission details the murder of an innocent family, or the torture of a child, ANBU are trained to be impassive and stoic. They're trained to kill for the good of people and country. Once they put on that mask they are no longer the man or woman they see in the mirror when they wake up from their nightmares. They are ANBU, and for them, morals do not exist.

_Look at us,_ any ANBU will tell you, _look at what they make you give._

When on a mission, one of the most important things is to keep the objective in mind while avoiding unnecessary casualties--something most ninja have absolutely no problem with, the death gets to you after a while...

And, along with sometimes sketchy morals, there were rules-- rules of engagement, you see; rules that ninja tend to follow out of common courtesy. This tends to happen most often among men; groin kicks are definitely_ out_ of the question unless you have a kunai to your throat.

Then, after your rules of engagement, there were principles; which were like rules but totally more fundamental (because there_ is_ a difference).

There were rules like: "Rape is never an option", and there were _principles_ like: "Fighting enemy ninja on neutral ground was one thing; fighting on _your_ turf was a _good_ thing, but fighting your enemy on enemy ground was an indisputably _bad_ thing."

When ninja deviate from rules, bad things happen (usually in a moral standpoint), though when principles are broken, things generally go to hell in an embroidered hand basket.

(The most important rule or principle, however, is _always_ that you have to be_ good_.)

-

Genma's first infiltration mission happened many years ago. So many years ago, in fact, that the scars dotting his forearms and criss-crossing up and down his legs have almost entirely faded away. Almost.

But you see, almost doesn't quite cut it when it comes to infiltration missions. It's either you do or you don't, you can or you cannot; and in most cases it comes down to whether or not you live or you die.

Almost wasn't enough when Genma's first teammate _almost_ detected all of the traps the Kumogakure ninja had left behind after their hasty retreat; and then, when he _almost _escaped the mace that came swinging down and took off his head.

Genma knows how foolish it is to request perfection from an all but imperfect race, knows how stupid it was to even begin to believe that all of his friends would have made it out alive. Genma survived the Third Great War after all, he knows just like everyone else just how fragile mortality is, and just how quickly a life can be snuffed out.

Genma remembers the insane drills they used to instruct the jounin to perform out in the ANBU courtyard--he used to watch them. He used to watch _Kakashi. _

He can visualize in his mind the faces of frightened elite jounin that were fruitlessly training to become better than they were (they were all much too set in their ways to ever change). He also remembers most of them as they fell to their death; they were _almost _good enough, really.

And so was his next teammate, lost on that same mission. She had almost dodged the roundhouse kick aimed straight for her head, and after dodging that, she probably would have also been able to dodge the poison senbon that had lodged itself straight into her spinal chord. Hell, she might have even blocked the scythe that finished her off.

As for Genma himself, he _was _good enough, and because of that he's alive.

It's a little known fact that it was _after _this incident that Genma first started experimenting with senbon and poison; he figures that it's only after you see a weapon kill a friend that you actually _get it--_in a visceral sort of way...

-

Now, logically thinking, Kakashi should have been dead _years _ago. The chances of coming back from as many A ranked as Kakashi has been on should be well be in the negatives. To be exact, Kakashi should have been dead three days after his fourteenth birthday, by then he had just outlived his probability of living by at least a factor of five. Or at least, that's what he figured out one afternoon after talking with Obito; but then again, he had been amazingly drunk, so there's a margin of error of about four or five percent he thinks.

And even excluding the statistics, his amazing luckiness (_un_luckiness) had caused him to outlive _everyone_, and it's not fair. And Kakashi knows that it's only because he's just _too good_.

He didn't fall for the genjutsu that murdered Rin because it was so _elementary_ he could hardly believe a jounin came up with it. It was a fine scene for the most part, a cleverly placed garden in the back of the house they were raiding, and it looked so much in place that Rin didn't have a single clue. But Kakashi knew (just like Kakashi knows _everything_), and it was the _rosemary; _there were mosquitoes around the rosemary.

Kakashi tried to move, tried to speak, tried to _stop Rin_. But he was too late (just like Kakashi was late for _everything_), the jounin struck and then Rin was bleeding and _dying_ in Kakashi's arms.

Poor, poor Rin, looking so confused.

_It was the rosemary_, Kakashi told her, not crying (but _wanting_ to).

_It was the rosemary_, Kakashi repeated. T_hey repel mosquitoes_, Kakashi mentioned.

_It's the pyrethrin chemical inside of it..._ and now Kakashi was babbling, but only because the bleeding wasn't _stopping_, dammit.

Rin smiled at him and Kakashi babbled some more, And Rin knew what Kakashi meant (just like Rin always did).

_Sorry I couldn't tell you in time. Sorry I couldn't save you. I promised to protect you. I love you._

And then Rin died.

Kakashi didn't fall for the attack that killed his first ANBU partner because he outsmarted the nukenin (and he didn't even _try_). When the rain of shuriken and poison-tipped kunai flew out at the two men Kakashi was separated from his partner, and everything from that point on was clouded with the most fearsome haze. All Kakashi can remember (but he _could_ remember more if he tried), is his hands flying through some seals (what seals?) and then he lived.

And his partner died.

Really, the problem with Kakashi is that he knows too much, he's too good (good for nothing?); so fuckin' good that he never _dies_ (but does he want to?).

-

This--_This _was freakin' _wild. _

Genma was practically on _top _of the Iwa ANBU and he _still _couldn't sense him. Talk about having a god complex after this! Damn Iwa bastards were about to get exactly what was coming to them. Right now, Genma had half the mind to put a well-aimed kunai right in his back, _but_ for this stage in the infiltration he was to stay put and wait for the signal. He'd contacted Kakashi at exactly ten minutes as was ordered, and he was to wait while Raido and Asuma located the Tsuchikage and contacted him back. Genma was _not _to engage the Kage _or _his guards in any situation.

All he had to do was wait...

After breaking off from his squad Genma had headed towards the village center; if Iwa was anything like Konoha, all the important government buildings could be found there. It was surprisingly easy to maneuver his way past guards and other traveling ninja, so much more easy than expected, at any rate. He only had to take action against five ninja, three if which never knew what was coming to them before he snapped their neck; the other two double-teaming him but they were also disposed of quickly. They couldn't have been more than twenty years of age, newly promoted jounin at best. They really were no match for him.

But, it was because it _was _too easy that Genma took extra precautionary measures; he'd be a fool to think that one of the Five Great Hidden Villages would be so lax with their security.

It'd taken Genma not more than ten minutes to sneak past the rest of the sentries and guards into an imposing rock enclosure where most--if not all--classified information was kept. He ran up and vaulted over the wall in no time flat; only to land on top of one of the many overhanging stones that circled the area. He then crawled back into the shadows and waited.

From where Genma was sitting, it seemed like he was in some sort of inner court yard, maybe even the Tsuchikage's personal backyard if the stone benches and bird baths were anything to go by.

It was deserted, or at least it appeared to be so. The courtyard wasn't large by aristocratic standards, it was about forty by thirty feet and surrounded by a menacing looking rock wall with wicked looking spikes fitted into deep grooves. There was very little grass (though Genma had been surprised that there had been any at all) and one very well taken care of cherry tree tucked safely into a corner under an alcove.

It looked completely and utterly deserted.

He couldn't outright sense any other Iwa ANBU, _but_ if they had even half the cloaking jutsu that _he _had up, he could almost forgive himself for that.

And what a cloaking jutsu it was!

Genma had been working on a specific type of jutsu that would make it virtually impossible for any enemies to detect. It sounded pretty simple once he first thought of it, but a month into actually _forming _the jutsu he became stuck, it actually _was_ a difficult jutsu to create. Instead of just manipulating the five senses, he would also have to manipulate the surroundings with a genjutsu on a level of messing with the _space-time continuum_; needless to say, it didn't turn out well. (Genma was no genius after all.)

He would have to combine elements of at least two different genjutsu; one of which would have to be at least an A-rank jutsu if he wanted to form something that wasn't a complete waste of time.

Genma had spent another month on it before realizing that it _was_ a complete a complete waste of time coming from someone like him; he was a poisons expert and the last time he had created his own jutsu would have been fifteen years before. And so, Genma did what he always did when he couldn't figure something out: he went to Kakashi.

Within the week it had been created. It turned out Genma had been right to combine two genjutsu (he just didn't quite know which _ones_). In actuality it was so simple Genma contemplated literally _biting _the damn grin off of Kakashi's face.

Kakashi used Kokuangyou no Jutsu: a jutsu used by the First and Second Hokage. Instead of creating the black void that enveloped the opponent, Kakashi reversed it so that instead the user was shielded inside of some sort of a vacuum. But, after the jutsu was actually activated, there was a visible "black hole" in whatever area the jutsu was cast.

To remedy this, a supplementary jutsu--Kokohi no Jutsu--was used. It was a simple C rank genjutsu that changed the appearance of any object the user desired, and so that jutsu was used to basically nip-and-tuck the surroundings until the void was completely undetectable.

It was pure genius; they called it Kuuhaku no Jutsu.

(Genma had a feeling that this jutsu would win them the war.)

* * *

**Kiki's Excuse Corner-**

-Kumogakure- Cloud Village

-Kokuangyou no Jutsu- **Actual Jutsu- **explanation in text. It translates to **Journey into Blackness Technique. **Used by the Second Hokage towards the end of the Chuunin Exams arc while fighting Sandaime.

-Kokohi no jutsu**-Actual Jutsu**-explanation in text. It translates to **False Place Technique. **Used by Kotetsu during the Chuunin Exams arc to change the classroom number to throw the genin off.

-**Kuuhaku no Jutsu **is _my own_ jutsu that I created using elements of the above two jutsu.** Kuuhaku** translates out to meaning something like **"blank space" or "vacuum".**


	9. Interlude: Of Teamwork and Card Games

Here you go, dear readers, my first updated since the day before New Year. I'm sorry for the lateness, but I hope this chapter makes up for it. I like to think that my writing has gotten a little better for the five months that I've not written for this story. I thank everyone that still reviewed and added me to their story alert and favorites list, I really appreciate that you all took your time to indicate that you've read and enjoyed my work. It's the greatest compliment.

This chapter was partially inspired by the two stories: **"Poker Face" **by** XxHot92xX **and** "Ingress" **by** iamzuul.**

The word count for this chapter is: **2,434**

And last but certainly not least, I'd like to thank my beta, **The-Algebraist**, for the fabulous beta work he did for me.

Please enjoy.

* * *

To fight together, ninja must be able to work together. This, at times, can be troublesome.

Ninja are, in a word, human. _Too_ human when it comes to things such as pride and propriety. Sometimes, ninja (for all they are), are _not_ able to put aside differences or class and _fight _with the fire that connects Konoha shinobi that fight _together._

The best teams, or, rather, the teams that last the longest, work well together. Some teams have a connection, other teams have to work (and face death), some teams just never _have_ it. It's not a well-known fact, but when entire teams are annihilated on a mission, it very rarely has to do with the strength of the opponents or even the physical strength of the team itself.

It's the way the fire-team had an argument before setting out and wasn't in synch. It was the way the team leader either didn't take command or took too _much _command. It was the way the middleman froze up and the rear stepped out of line and didn't bother to mend the missing link. It was the way that there was no trust other than the base trust that every Konoha ninja had for another. It was the way that they didn't know each other as a team should.

It _is _a well-known fact that the best teams (for however much it may hurt them), are friends.

Team Seven, in the beginning, was not a good team. They fought too much, bickered too much, one-upped each other too much, and left their weakest member behind too much. They were not equal and there was no respect and no trust; instead, all they had was a crybaby, a boy blinded by revenge, and a boy who tried to prove himself at all the wrong times and in all the wrong ways.

Kakashi, Team Seven's leader, guided them in a way that he only could; because Kakashi _knows _how to make a team work, because Kakashi _knows_ what makes a team fail. He knows that the team leader must lead with a firm but flexible hand, that the Ready must know that he's just as good as the Fire, and that the Assist must do just that--_assist--_and not overstep his bounds. He knows that they've got to have a hard enough heart to know when to leave a team mate behind, but to have a soft enough heart to exhaust _every single_ resource before placing the mission above a comrade.

The team has got to be able to laugh together and bandage each other's wounds. They've got to be able to fight and fuss and scream and place each other's lives above their own.

Kakashi knows, because he's had a team fail before, and he won't let it happen again.

Genma. Raido. Asuma. Kakashi.

They've seen each other at their worst, celebrated with each other at their best. They've laughed together and cried together. They sit on top of the Hokage Monument faithfully every other Thursday and drink themselves into oblivion. They've held each other and chased away nightmares (_the type that are larger than life_). They've slept together (in more ways than one) and kept each other sane when one couldn't do it for himself.

They have no propriety, they have no shame. They live and love and fight together and go back home to Kurenai, the mission room, the academy, and the Memorial Stone with the same silent acceptance that has been their norm for the many years that they've fit together.

Being a ninja is an ugly, ugly profession. Ugly and dark with hatred and greed. The best teams aren't the most pure teams, they're the teams that have _persevered_ and have lost nothing more than vanity, pride, misconceptions, and an eye.

* * *

_10 years ago._

* * *

"Bullshit."

"Read them and weep," Genma flipped over the card pile with a flourish, revealing two kings and smirking like the cat that got the cream.

"Well, damn," Raido picked up the thick pile of cards and shuffled them with the ones he already held in his bandaged hand, glancing sideways at the other man at the table and wondering when playing Bullshit started to sound like a good idea.

He was losing, Genma was smirking, Kakashi wasn't paying attention and Asuma was chain smoking on the bed. It was quiet in the room, almost overly so if it weren't for the roaring in his ears, and his eyes were burning because they were underground, and this was Asuma's fifth cigarette in twice as many minutes, there was just no place for Asuma's smoke to _go._ Just like them. They were holed up in an underground bunker in the middle of the Land of Wind because there was a colossal sandstorm raging outside and the trail was covered and they were _lost._

"Four aces," Raido said, dropping down his cards quite ungracefully. Silence fell. Raido glanced at Kakashi out of the corner of his eye, looked at Genma and then looked back at Kakashi. Kakashi's hands were shaking; something Raido would mention except for the fact that its just one of those things that just _are_and something that just isn't mentioned. And even if Raido did want to mention it, he doesn't think it would do any good (he ignores the fact that his leg hasn't stopped bouncing for the two hours that they've been down here). At the moment, Kakashi is just as good as deaf, and there are flakes of blood underneath his fingernails.

"Twos, 'kashi," Genma slurs--surreptitiously knocking the crude table with his knee--, putting his senbon behind his ear as he takes a swig from the alcohol flask that he stole from the whore-house in Aichi. Raido flicks his eyes up from his hand and knows that Genma can read his mind.

_Never mention, never mind._

Kakashi tears his eyes away from the spot on the wall that he had been staring at for the past five minutes and blinks owlishly. He looks down at the last two cards in his hand and flicks his wrist with a grace that even drunkenness could not take away. The cards land squarely and face down on the pile and on principle Genma scrutinizes him (for reasons both obvious and not obvious).

Genma does not call his bluff, but Raido does--because Raido never lets things go--and as he turns the cards he feels like there is something far more important and far more fragile in his hands than the stack of cards.

Two twos.

The game ends and Kakashi has won for the sixth time in a row.

Genma collects the cards and shuffles them, the hiss of the cards as they move too fast for Raido to keep count is all too familiar, and Raido thinks of senbon and Asuma's trench knives.

Asuma is still sitting on the bed, back resting against the head, legs crossed at the ankle and one hand loosely holding a cigarette while the other grips the sheets. His knuckles are white but his face nonchalant, Raido wonders if he should be the first one to speak.

"Asuma, you want in?" Raido speaks finally, not dropping his eyes like he was wont to do when Asuma looks up from under his eyelids, expression vacant but staring at something with an intensity that reminds Raido of laughter and flames.

Asuma doesn't answer, and Raido wasn't really expecting him to. It's not a bad sign, but it's not a good sign, because if there was anything about Asuma that could be counted on besides his skill, it was his amicability.

It had been so since the Academy days, back when Asuma had first picked up smoking from the suave and newly promoted Chuunin substitute teacher that filled in for Hotaru-sensei after she was called out to the battlefield. Raido, two years graduated from the Academy, found Asuma wheezing, coughing, and turning blue behind the comic book store one day, and carried him to the hospital. Once Asuma woke up, Raido--brash and loud Raido-- cuffed the back of his head and told him not to be such a dumbass, that smoking was bad for him anyway.

Asuma--cool and imperturbable Asuma--stared up at Raido, eyes wide, before a slow smirk emerged onto his face.

Raido can't remember what Asuma said, but he does remember thinking about how he envied his personality (and, later on, his status as the Hokage's son). This continued to be so until the third time that Raido came across Asuma wheezing and coughing behind a building. Raido slapped him on the back on the head and told him to stop being a damn idiot. Asuma (who wasn't as godly as Raido thought), with watery eyes, looked up at him and smiled, eyes twinkling as he accused Raido of having a crush on him. (They've been friends ever since.)

But now, however, Asuma doesn't have a twinkle in his eyes. Asuma doesn't have anything in his eyes at all. Asuma is definitely not laughing, definitely not joking, and Raido is starting to suspect that he's suffering from post-traumatic stress.

This thought then makes Raido look back at Kakashi, who is still staring at the wall; Genma, who is _still _drinking, and who does _not _have a senbon in his mouth; and down at himself with the leg that is _still _in motion. It is quite possible that if Asuma has post-traumatic stress, then the rest of them do as well, but Raido's not entirely sure because they haven't mentioned it (though Kakashi and Asuma are so very _obvious)_, and if _Genma _hasn't said anything then they must all be fine. Right?

Raido looks at Genma who is dealing the cards.

One face down to Raido. One face down to Kakashi. One face down to Genma.

He looks off, Raido thinks, a little bit different. But Raido's still not entirely sure if it's because he's well on his way to becoming shit-faced, or if it's because that Raido now noticed the shallow notch in his bottom lip where he likes to keep his senbon.

One face up to Raido. One face up to Kakashi. One face up to Genma.

Genma looks gaunt, his cheek bones are pronounced and the skin underneath his eyes look abused. His top lip is raw from where he was biting it in between swigs of the cheap alcohol that Raido _knows _is burning down his throat, and Genma is so pale that Raido can see the scar above his eyebrow where he was hit by a rock when the two of them were playing ninja.

Playing ninja. Hah.

Raido looks at his hand. A six and a three.

"Hit me."

A nine.

"Stay."

It was back when Genma was six and Raido was seven, when Raido and Genma were both stupid and Kakashi hadn't surpassed them all, yet. Back when Raido's mother let them play in the backyard _after _they finished the academy homework, and back when she used to make them oatmeal raisin cookies and apple onigiri. Back when they didn't fully understand war and didn't know that being a ninja meant that they had to actually _hurt _people. (Oh, how Raido _cried _when he saw the blood run down into Genma's eye. The cut wasn't lethal, it wasn't even deep, but as he held his mother's skirt--like he swore he was too old to do--Raido thought it was the end of the world.)

"Hit," Kakashi mumbled, sounding detached and hollow.

Oh, yes. It was back when Raido and Genma didn't know that kids like Kakashi even _existed._

"Hit,' Kakashi muttered again.

"Stay."

Raido nearly laughed aloud.

It was _hilarious. _Here they were, jounin men, playing card games in a hole in a ground in the middle of the damn desert because when they were young they thought that being a ninja was fun. They had no clue (the three of them anyway, Kakashi was too smart to ever have been that naive) that being a ninja entailed running for your life from S-class nin who want to eat your entrails for fucking _breakfast,_and deviating from the original trail after Raido had gotten them lost just because the enemy had used a fire jutsu (that didn't even _touch_ him) and he couldn't feel the left side of his body. He had nearly gotten his hand taken off by a trap that he should have seen coming a mile away and the _bastards _took his best friend's senbon when they captured him.

Kakashi has been out in La La Land since the fifth heart that he pulled out of an enemy's body (and Raido wonders just why the _hell _he doesn't incinerate them _inside _the body) and Raido's pissed off because he still has the damn blood underneath his fingernails, and _dammit _how unsanitary is that! Asuma has been smoking enough cigarettes to smoke out the Hokage from his tower and he's soiling the bed with his _filthy_ uniform, and he thinks that just because he _maybe_ has post-traumatic stress, that it's a good enough excuse!

And Raido just can't stop shaking and he can't exactly remember what the mission was supposed to be about anyway--and what the hell was Sandaime _thinking_? All Raido knows is that he's just been on the most horrible mission of his life, his best friend is breaking (no matter how fucking normal he might seem), Kakashi was being an idiot (he was a _genius _dammit!), Asuma's smoke was fucking _irritating,_ and he just strangled a little girl who reminded him of his sister...

"-ai. Rai."

Raido starts and looks up to find Genma and Kakashi (who still looks a little lost), staring at him.

Genma quirks an eyebrow, and Raido's cheeks feel wet.

"Yeah," he answers the unasked question, rubbing his cheeks with all the machismo he can muster, "fuckin' smoke, man."

"Yeah," Genma answers.

"Yeah," Kakashi echoes.

Asuma wheezes and stubs the cigarette out on the head board.

"I'm in," Asuma answers belatedly, voice quiet.

Raido _laughs._


End file.
